When physical contact occurs between a character and an enemy, the screen dissolves into battle mode. Unlike its predecessor, EarthBound does not use random encounters. The game uses oblique projection, while most 2D RPGs use a 'top down' view on a grid or an isometric perspective. Another non-traditional element is the perspective used for the world. Rather than using an overworld map screen like most console RPGs of its era, the world is entirely seamless, with no differentiation between towns and the outside world.

This pseudo-randomly increases the character's attributes, such as offense, defense, and the maximum hit points (HP) and psychic points (PP) of each character. If enough experience points are acquired, a character's level will increase. Along the way, the player fights battles against enemies and the party receives experience points for victories. It was heavily marketed upon release via a promotional campaign which sardonically proclaimed 'this game stinks'.ĮarthBound features many traditional role-playing game elements: the player controls a party of characters who travel through the game's two-dimensional world composed of villages, cities, caves, and dungeons. Itoi, who directed the game, wanted it to reach non-gamers with its intentionally goofy tone. Themed around an idiosyncratic portrayal of Americana and Western culture, it subverted popular role-playing game traditions by featuring a real world setting while parodying numerous staples of the genre. Its making involved a number of Japanese luminaries, including writer Shigesato Itoi, musician/songwriter Keiichi Suzuki, sound designer Hirokazu Tanaka, and future Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.

The game had a lengthy development period which spanned five years. EarthBound was released in Japan on August 27, 1994, and in North America on June 5, 1995. It is the second game of the Mother series, and the only one to be released in the English language until its predecessor was released under the name EarthBound Beginnings in 2015 as part of Wii U's Virtual Console.

As Ness and his party of four, the player travels the world to collect melodies en route to defeating the evil alien force Giygas. and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. ĮarthBound, known as Mother 2 in Japan, is a 1994 Japanese role-playing video game co-developed by Ape Inc. Shigesato Itoi, Satoru Iwata, Akihiko Miura. Unfortunately, this game is currently available only in this version.

The following emulators are available for this game: NeptunJS (JavaScript), Nesbox (Flash) and Retro (JavaScript).

Earthbound online emulator